Product Description

This is the first sock knitting book devoted to teaching the simple mysteries of two-circular-needle-sock-knitting, a vastly more efficient and easier method which is rapidly gaining converts. Eleven original designs, clearly worded instructions, photographs, charts, a section on translating traditional patterns to the two-circular method, and abundant tips and tricks have been put together with great care and a generous sprinkling of humor. The author answers all of those subtle, almost unframeable questions a new sock knitter has, as well as delighting seasoned sock knitters with innovative sock architecture and techniques.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #102674 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 48 pages

About the Author
Cat Bordi has been creating and designing in the textile field for over forty years. Her work first began to show up in international collections in the 80's, and has been featured in museums, calendars, cards, books, and magazines. Her second collection of designs for socks on two circular needles, due out in October, 2002, will include even more innovative sock architecture and extensive sections on everything from fitting unusual feet to generating and applying brand new designs.

Customer Reviews

A must-have knitting book if you love to knit socks
I keep a list of "must-have" knitting books and Cat Bordi's "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles" has SOARED to the top of my list. Here's why:

1. The technique of using two circulars to knit a sock in the round is easy to do, but rather hard to explain. Author Bordi does this with clear pictures and great step-by-step explanations. I was totally flummoxed by this technique until I read her book.

2. Knitting on two circulars rather than 4 double-points results in a smoother gauge. This is especially important for colorwork knitting.

3. The pictures are clear and show some beautiful technique. The cover is in color, and the photos inside are a very good gray tone that shows detail. The patterns are endlessly adaptable, using them as a template with your own colorwork or textured knitting designs.

4. There isn't just technique in this book. Bordi has a number of really lovely patterns including some textured work, color work and picture knitting. Charts are large and easy to read. Only the leaf-and-tendril is not charted (it's row by row.)

5. Here's a list of the sock patterns:

a. Simple Sock in three Sizes (easy)
b. Indoor Felted Boot (easy)
c. Gardener sock (easy)
d. Columbine Peak (intermediate, textured)
e. Two Alert Cats (intermediate, cat chart really useful!)
f. Cable Top (intermediate)
g. Alpine Meadow (intermediate, nice colorwork)
h. Bavarian Twisted Stitch (intermediate, lovely textured)
i. Leaf and Tendril (textured, advanced.)
j. Not mentioned in the contents, but there is a "fleet foot" sock with a design like Mercury's wings on the cuff.

There are only 44 pages in this book, which makes it seem a bit pricey, but every page is loaded with content. This is a book with NO fluff that I know I will be referring to, again and again. (Well, actually there IS some fluff--one pattern incorporates yarn made of an angora-like fiber spun from dog fur. It's pretty fluffy!)

Bordi mentions that when she teaches classes, the knitters sigh over two of the sock patterns-- the leaf-and-trellis and the alpine meadow. I had the same reaction when I saw them in this book. If you love to knit socks, you will be muttering "four needles good, two needles better" rather like the animals in Orwell's Animal Farm!

These socks did not soar
I have been knitting for thirty years and was excited to purchase a book about a new knitting techniques. I was disappointed in this book because of the lack of detailed pictures which are common in instructional treatises. The photos were in black and white and not as sharp as they should be. I found sites on the internet, and another book, the Magic Loop, which was more helpful in explaining the circular needle technique.

Got very confusing
I'm an intermediate beginner, I guess. I've succesfully made mittons, for instance. I had attempted to knit socks in the past but the DPNs were too frustrating for me. At first, I was going gung-ho on my first sock using this book but I got thoroughly confused after constructing the heel, about how to pick up the stitches and finish the sock. The directions were really vague and unclear (at least to me, a novice sock knitter) and I couldn't figure out how to translate traditional sock knitting instructions from my other books to this technique. The author makes a lot of assumptions about what a novice knitter would know. You will need other books to figure out her instructions. It was extremely disappointing. I've since purchased bamboo DPNs in hopes that there will be less yarn slippage and frustration with the old-fashioned method.
If the author revised the text to include more thorough explanations this would be a good buy.